Sunshine solutions

Recent research shows that daily doses of sunshine speeds up healing and recovery from illnesses ranging from asthma, heart disease, bone disease and surprisingly even cancer so perhaps it's time to ease up on the sunscreen

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Rituparna Mukherjee

February 9, 2010

UPDATED: February 9, 2010 12:49 IST

Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun, observed Rudyard Kipling, referring to the practice of the English people in India who walked around at midday while the natives enjoyed their afternoon siesta. Recent research, however, suggests that those mad dogs and Englishmen were on the right track: soaking up the sunshine is now being recognised as a panacea for a host of illnesses.

Sunshine therapy, ( also known as heliotherapy) was an actual method of medical treatment in Europe until World War II before the advent of penicillin and other drugs. Many diseases responded favourably to heliotherapy including anaemia, fungal infections, upper respiratory disorders and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr Auguste Rollier, a famous physician who established the best known heliotherapy clinic in Switzerland, claimed that this treatment even benefited those suffering from tuberculosis. Read on to find out more about the wonder drug that is sunshine, and how to make optimum use of it.

An established treatment

Sunshine encourages the production of vitamin D in the body, which in turn acts as a magic pill for skin conditions, bone health, depression and if recent reports are to be believed, asthma and heart disease as well. "The health benefits of sunshine are largely due to the synthesis of vitamin D in the body," says Dr Arpit Jain, consultant internal medicine, Artemis Healthcare. Vitamin D is not plentiful in natural foods and is the only vitamin that our body can make for itself on exposure to sunlight. Lack of sunshine can cause a vitamin D deficiency, which is more common than generally realised, particularly in the elderly. A deficiency of Vitamin D can result in rickets or low blood calcium levels in children. Also common is the softening and increasingly brittle bones or osteomalacia, which occurs in adults, chiefly in women. " Vitamin D is necessary for the body's proper utilisation of calcium so a deficiency of this vitamin is doubly harmful for the health," says Dr Jain.

" Though certain foods contain vitamin D, the body's main source is from the sun," adds Dr MP Sharma, HOD internal medicine, Rockland Hospital. A study conducted by doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) showed that more than 75 per cent of healthy people in northern India had vitamin D deficiency. Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study shows that this deficiency is prevalent in most parts of India, irrespective of people's age, socio- economic and education status.

It's important to keep in mind that moderate exposure is called for. " There are many bodies of research on this topic but none are 100 per cent conclusive. So while it is a good idea to soak up the sun, it is important to remember it can be harmful to do so if proper caution is not exercised," says Dr Sharma.

Natural skin therapy

Sunshine is believed to be harmful for the skin. This is not true, however, as sunshine is bactericidal and fungicidal and may help in the healing of skin infections. Skin that is denied fresh air and sunshine may appear pale and unhealthy. A few minutes of sunshine early in the morning or late in the afternoon ( when the sun's rays are slanting) can be beneficial for skin health. Fungal conditions which are drug resistant have been shown to heal in the sunlight.

"Sunlight helps to dry up the moisture that collects during skin infections, and fungi cannot survive on a dry skin," says Dr Sharma. Limited exposure to one of the forms of the ultraviolet rays given off by the sun - UVB rays- can actually help psoriatic skin and eczema. " Vitamin D is excellent for the skin because it helps treat many skin infections and increases blood circulation. However, wear a layer of sunscreen even in the morning sunlight as a preventive measure," says Sobha Sehgal, business head, VLCC Spa. In this way one is simply screening any damaging rays of the sun, and enjoying its benefits as well.

Promotes health and healing

Most of us feel better in sunny weather. This has been validated by research which suggests that sunshine is like exercise in its ability to nudge the brain into producing chemicals called endorphins which lift the mood and produce a general feeling of well- being. In fact sunshine can also relieve the symptoms of clinical depression and phototherapy (light therapy) is one of the treatments used for Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD). The most recent and definitely most welcome report on the benefits of sunshine has to be that it raises testosterone levels.According to the study, testosterone levels in men's blood rise accordingly with doses of vitamin D. The new findings back up previous research that found an hour of sunshine can boost a man's testosterone levels by 69 per cent.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm have also found that increased sun exposure resulted in a reduced rate of incidence of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma by providing natural support to cancer treatment. Another study published in the journal Cancer Research suggests that men exposed to a lot of sunlight may have a lower risk of prostate cancer. The researchers suggest that vitamin D promotes the normal growth of prostate cells and inhibits the spread of any cancerous cells beyond the gland. Research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has also found that asthmatics with high vitamin D levels have better lung function and respond better to treatment than asthmatics with low vitamin D levels do. In addition, vitamin D levels predict how well " somebody is going to respond to steroidal asthma medications," says lead researcher Dr Sutherland.

Practice moderation

Despite all the benefits offered by sunshine, doctors insist on caution. "While it's a good idea to soak up the sun, moderation is advisable," says Dr Sharma. Lying in the sun or exposing your skin to the sun's rays for prolonged periods is damaging to your skin and causes premature wrinkling and skin cancer. Avoid the sun on your skin when your shadow is shorter than you are. "Absorb the sun's rays during the early morning or just before sunset, when the sun's rays are slanting, and when your shadow is longer than you are" says Dr Sharma. " Fairer people have to be more careful as the content of the skin pigment melanin is less in them. Melanin might make you dark but it also protects the skin from harsh UV rays," says Dr Sharma.

Try and include the few kinds of food that contain Vitamin D in your diet, and keep in mind that more than 400 international units daily of vitamin D may be toxic. Unless it is prescribed, there is no need to start gulping down vitamin D supplements, say doctors. "Natural food sources of vitamin D are limited and include oily fish like salmon, tuna, cod liver, herring, eggs, etc. The Japanese eat an abundance of certain raw oily fish from where they obtain their requirement of vitamin D," says Dr Ambrish Mithal, senior consultant endocrinologist, Indraprastha Apollo hospital. " So, we Indians don't have much of an option, but to be out in the sun a lot more than we are," he adds.

Four food sources of D

It's important to find out which foods contain Vit D and add these to your diet. Calculate your vitamin D intake and supplement it by sitting in the morning or late afternoon sun thrice a week for 20 minutes. Keep in mind that 400 international units ( IU) of vitamin D is enough for you.